Do your students groan when you mention grammar? They’ll be too busy solving a mystery under the sea to notice they’re learning homophones!

Your students will dive into detective mode with themed ID cards, clue strips, and an animated hook story that sets the scene for an unforgettable ocean adventure.

Students will work as word detectives, solving clues, cracking codes, and eliminating suspects one by one to uncover who stole the Ocean’s Missing Word Gems! This hands-on, interactive activity is perfect for building vocabulary, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills while reinforcing homophone understanding.

How does it work?

Option 1 – No prep, print-and-go:

Simply print the clue pack and hand it out to students.

Students complete each task, check their work, and collect clue strips to eliminate suspects!

Option 2 – Scoot the room style:

Prepare clue envelopes using the guide and covers

Place each clue sheet inside an envelope

Students move around the room, solve clues, and cross off suspects!

What’s included:

• Animated ocean-themed story hook
• 7 hands-on homophone puzzles and clues
• Full-colour and black & white versions
• Suspect posters (7 sea creature characters)
• Detective ID cards
• Optional detective headband craft
• Clue strips for elimination
• Early finisher ocean-themed colouring page
• Certificate of completion
• Teacher instructions (2 setup options)
• Answer keys for easy checking
• Differentiation suggestion using the Homophones Poster

Perfect for combining literacy and logic in a way that feels more like a game than a worksheet.

Happy Teaching! ♥️